As Wisconsin Lutheran boys basketball goes for a third straight state championship on Saturday, March 21, observers will notice a familiar last name on the roster not once, not twice but three times.
That, of course, is Knueppel, the First Family of Wisconsin Lutheran basketball.
Kon Knueppel set the table for what will become 10 years of the family starring at Wisconsin Lutheran. Kon, who is lighting up the NBA as one of the top rookies, led the Vikings to a perfect season and state title in 2024.
His younger brothers are the next wave of talent propelling Wisconsin Lutheran to the top of the state. There are three Knueppels on the current roster and a fourth is on his way next year.
And that’s not all. The family tree extends beyond the Knueppel brothers. The Knueppels’ first cousin, Zavier Zens, just happens to be the best player in Wisconsin in 2025-26, and will play Division I college basketball.
Here’s what to know about the Knueppel family:
Who are the Knueppel brothers?
The Knueppel family has five boys. And yes, all of their first names start with “K.”:
From 2020 to 2030 at least one member of the Knueppel family will be playing for Wisconsin Lutheran.
Who is Zavier Zens?
Zavier Zens is the first cousin of the Knueppel brothers and leading scorer for the undefeated Wisconsin Lutheran boys basketball team for a second straight season.
The 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward is racking up one major award after another to cap off an illustrious high school career.
Just this week, Zens was named Mr. Basketball by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and Wisconsin Player of the Year by Gatorade.
Kon Knueppel won those awards in 2024.
Zens, an honorable mention All-American by the Naismith Awards, averaged 23.6 points per game, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists during the season. He’s heading to Northern Iowa next season.
Zens has played a leading role in the Vikings’ recent state championship squads. He scored 16 points in Wisconsin Lutheran’s Division 2 state final win over Pewaukee in 2024 and had a team-high 19 points in last year’s Division 1 final win over Marshfield.
In the Vikings’ 68-61 state semifinal win over Appleton North on Friday, March 20, he had a team-high 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting while playing the entire game.
Who are the Knueppel parents? Knueppel mom and dad
It’s no surprise that the Knueppel brothers picked up a basketball and thrived in the sport.
Basketball runs in the Knueppel’s blood.
Their parents were college basketball stars in the 1990s.
Kon Knueppel Sr. was the all-time leading scorer at Wisconsin Lutheran College and a four-time all-conference selection. Chari Norgaard Knueppel is a legend at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
She is just one of three players in program history with her jersey retired and remains the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Kon Knueppel in the NBA
Kon Knueppel is in the midst of an incredible rookie season and has the Hornets in position to be part of the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Knueppel participated in multiple events during All-Star Weekend in February, including the 3-point contest, as he has become one of the most popular young players in the league, even appearing on “The Jimmy Fallon Show.” After the All-Star break, he became the fastest player in league history to 200 three-pointers and set a record for most 3-pointers by a rookie in a season.
In 69 games, Knueppel is averaging 19.3 points on 48.9% shooting, 87.7% on free throws, 43.7% on three-pointers, plus 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.7 minutes.
In November, before the Hornets played the Milwaukee Bucks, he had his entire team over to his family home for dinner. The next night, Knueppel set a then-career-high 32 points against his hometown team and his 3-pointer sent the game into overtime. He has five games this season with 30 or more points.
He talked about his brothers and family at the NBA draft last summer:
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What is Knueppel family tree? Kon and his brothers, cousin Zavier Zens
Reporting by Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
